


Sleepwalking

by supershadsy



Category: Tales of Symphonia
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-16
Updated: 2015-04-16
Packaged: 2018-03-23 07:29:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,332
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3759691
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/supershadsy/pseuds/supershadsy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In Flanoir, Zelos wakes up to a certain Chosen spooning him in bed. Should he keep her there, sleeping peacefully, or return her to her own bed?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sleepwalking

Zelos Wilder laid very still in the scratchy sheets of the Flanoir Inn bed. Snow was gently falling in the quiet, midnight streets, and he watched it with half lidded eyes. _Should probably enjoy this,_ he thought, _because I am most certainly going to die tomorrow. And this little angel beside me is the only reason why._

_Could be worse, I suppose._

The evening had began well enough--the rest of the party was generally in good spirits, especially the Sylverant group, who had clearly never witnessed snow before. Lloyd and Colette were nearly attached at the hip as they wandered, babbling about snowflakes and catching crystals on their mittens. There was a small snowball fight (it was impossible to tell who started it by the time it was in full swing), which ended with a spectacular ice spell from Genis that nearly caused the entire town to evacuate. Even quiet, stoic Presea had joined in the fun, sticking close to Regal during the fiasco.  

Zelos, on the other hand, had been miraculously subdued. Sheena commented on this as everyone was heading to their rooms. "You've been quiet today," she said.  

"What do you mean?" he replied.  

Sheena raised an eyebrow, her hands on her hips. "This is probably the first day you haven't made a pass to any female within a mile radius of you. I can't say I'm concerned, but--" 

He fluttered his eyelashes, flipping his long red hair back with a flourish. "Aw, don't worry, my well-endowed beauty," he cooed, poking her chest even as she curled her lip in disgust. "Everything is A-OK over here. Unless you'd like to accompany me to bed?" 

The remark and action earned him a sharp slap to the face. "Don't wear yourself out," she grumbled, storming off to the upstairs loft. Zelos sighed in relief as he rubbed his cheek. _Dodged that one. Gotta keep up appearances._

The snow caught his eye outside the window, quiet, gentle, and soft. No matter how he looked at it, it always seemed to be tinged a shade of red. 

_("You should have never been born...")_

"Professor, do you think we could stay here for another day?" Colette asked Raine, jerking him out of his thoughts. She was already in a set of pajamas too big for her, her arms buried in fabric. _Cute._

"Maybe," she said, holding her arms. "It would be nice to relax, but I'm not terribly fond of the cold."

"Maybe one of the innkeepers can lend you a heavy coat!" Colette suggested, bright eyed.

"Things like that cost Gald, and we're not made of it," Raine sighed. 

"They gave me these pajamas..."

She shook her head and patted her shoulder. "Go to bed, Colette, we've got a big day tomorrow."

"Okay. G'night, Raine."

"Zelos?"

He turned to see Lloyd standing behind him, Lloyd the hero, Lloyd the optimist, Lloyd who saw the best in everyone. Zelos often wondered how he could possibly keep it up. "You goin' to bed soon?"

"Yeah." The foyer was empty--they were the only two left awake. He stretched his arms up high, letting his mid-drift show briefly with a grunt. "You guys looked like you had fun."

"Yeah, the snow is amazing." 

"You get used to it." Zelos stared at the floor, avoiding Lloyd's curious gaze. _You'd better not ask me any stupid questions. Really don't feel like dwelling on the_

_(mom...)_

_past tonight._

"All right," Lloyd replied slowly, almost as if he could hear Zelos' thoughts. "Well, g'night Zelos."

"Night." He waited until he heard the click of the door before lifting his eyes from the floor. "Whew." He cracked his knuckles, stretching his hands outward before making his own way to his room.

He could not remember too much after that, whether he was legitimately tired, or he willed himself to sleep. But, he did remember stirring to a warm body cuddled extremely close to his back.  
 _What the hell?_ he thought. He propped himself up on his elbow and blinked blearily. His door was cracked open, and the body beside him murmured and rolled over, spooned against his back. _That is definitely a woman,_ he thought, slowly easing back into bed. _I know those little groans, I've been in bed with them plenty of times. But who?_

He focused on the sensation against him. _Too flat to be Sheena, what a shame. Shorter than Raine, and flatter than her, too. Raine is at least a C cup._ He furrowed his brow. _So that narrows it down to two--_

He felt a soft hand wrap around his back to his stomach, accompanied by a mountain of fleece. He froze. _That is Colette. That is most certainly the cute Chosen of Sylverant. Presea's hands are worn with callouses from cutting sacred wood._ He nearly gulped. _If she stays in here like this, the entire group will be out for my head._ For there was another problem with this situation, besides the innocent Chosen spooning in bed with the playboy of Tethe'alla. 

Zelos enjoyed sleeping in the nude. 

Even as she was simply against him, he felt a small stirring in his groin, and her hand was _just_ under his belly button--one wrong move could make a thrilling or uncomfortable realization. _She's gonna freak out, tell the others, and I'm never going to have a functioning set of family jewels again._

_(Why do you care though? She's cute--she's beautiful. Someone like that you wouldn't hesitate to take to bed in a second. Who cares about the others? Why do you care about her?)_

_She's...Colette._

He sighed and gingerly slipped from her grasp, standing up beside the bed, moonlight filtering in from the window to his pale rear. She was still sound asleep, her blonde hair tousled around her, her petite body steadily rising and falling with the slow rhythm of her breath. _Besides, it's no fun if she's asleep._ His brain rifled through several scenarios 

_(kissing her open mouth)_

_(wandering my hands on her chest)_

_(gripping her hips)_

_(holding her body against me as she grips mine, panting in pleasure--)_

before he shook himself out of it. _Easy, tiger,_ he thought, running his hand through his hair. He glanced down to look for a pair of shorts, and realized that he was already half-hard. _Shit._ He settled for his everyday pants and pulled them on hastily over himself, arranging his parts into their rightful place. _Okay. Just take her back into her room, tuck her in, that's that.  Take care of yourself later._

Zelos circled around the bed, every step he took creaking the floorboards beneath him. Still, she did not stir, so he took the opportunity to slide his hands under her, one under her back, the other under her knees, and lifted her up. Upon hoisting her into his arms, he stumbled backwards, just catching himself before making any sudden noise. _She's not heavy, but I ought to start working out,_ he thought as he took slow steps toward the exit. _Regal I am not._

He stepped into the foyer, careful to keep her steady in his arms. She still barely stirred, only adjusting her arms close to his bare chest. He swallowed thickly, his heartbeat pronounced. _Which room was hers again? She can't have wandered that far._ Luckily, all of the doors were ajar in varying degrees, giving him the opportunity to peek into the four that were on the ground floor. _One out of three._

He poked his nose into the room directly adjacent to his. Sprawled out across the bed was Lloyd, snoring softly. Half the sheets were off the bed, and he seemed to be taking up as much space as possible. _He sleeps like a kid,_ Zelos thought before withdrawing. Before he stepped away, he heard a stir, freezing him in his place. Lloyd's snoring hitched. "Dad..." he mumbled in his sleep, before growing quiet again. _Ah._

Zelos moved on to the one beside it, just beginning to feel the burn in his arms. _Please be her room,_ he pleaded, but was disappointed to see a body in the bed beyond the door. Two bodies, actually, on opposite sides. Zelos squinted to see the faint, pointed ears pushing past short hair, enveloped in sheets. _Raine and Genis. Siblings sleeping together, how cute._ He felt a weight grip his heart, and he sighed slowly as he stepped back. _Yeah. Must be nice to have a sibling who doesn't hate your guts._

"Mmm..." Colette shifted in his arms, loosely draping them on his freckled shoulders. _Right. Angel needs to be in her own bed._

He tiptoed to the room furthest from his, which was wide open. _Ah-hah!_ The bed was empty, and Colette's blue and white jacket was folded neatly on the dresser. He took large strides to it and carefully laid her down into the bed. She readjusted, her head searching for the center of the pillow. _Good._ As he reached for the sheets, however...

"...Zelos..."

His heart jumped in his throat, but his instinct slid a smile on his face. "Wh--," he began, a stammer that was unheard of from him, then swallowed. "What is it, my precious angel?" he murmured, the smoothness returning to his voice.

Colette did not reply, instead returning to an even sleep as Zelos tucked the sheets in around her. He watched her for a brief moment, crouching down at the bedside. _Y'know, she looks so...peaceful. Really peaceful. It's not quite the same as the smile she gives to all of us, but it's really at ease._ He smirked. _Looks like I'm not the only one with a facade._ He pushed her hair out of her face, soft between his fingers, and tucked it around her ear. He made a smooth trace along her jawline, stroking his thumb against her cheek. _Just one._ He leaned forward, using the bed for support, and gently kissed her temple, right along her hairline. As he stood up, he covered his mouth, feeling that familiar urge to take another, and another, and another. _No, she's too good for you. Just..._

_go to bed, Zelos._

He disappeared from her room, returning to his in a fraction of the time it took to get there, and hopped face down into bed, covering his head with the sheets. _Here's to no dreams tonight. If I can get any sleep to begin with._

* * *

 

Morning came, as it always did, with Raine banging on the doorframe. "Rise and shine," she said, peering in. "You left your door open last night?"

"Huh?" he said, stretching. The sun streamed in on his figure, highlighting his paleness. _Right, last night did happen._ "Oh yeah, I had to get up for something."

"Ah," she said. "Guess you weren't the only one that had a restless night. Colette's door was open too. I hope she's been sleeping well..." Her brow clouded with worry. "Anyway, breakfast is ready."

_That was close._ Zelos hopped out of bed with surprising bounce and quickly dressed. Tying his headband around his head in the mirror, he gave himself a wink. _Now you can pretend that last night--_

_(soft hair soft gentle face against my lips--)_

_...oh, boy._

His own face grimaced at him, and he returned it with a shrug. _Whatever. Go with the flow, take it easy. That's the motto, right?_ He flipped his hair and strut out through the foyer, into the small inn kitchen. Everyone was crowded around the table already eating, making the group look huge. The only seat left was in between Presea and Colette. 

"Oh look, you saved a special seat for me, how thoughtful," he said, plopping down and immediately going for the stack of pancakes in the middle. The rest of the table was murmuring amongst themselves, having idle chatter. He leaned over to Colette, even as his mind told him not to. "How did you sleep, my kitten?"

He expected an eyeroll, a giggle, an exasperated sigh from this remark. What he got was a blush and a smile. "Okay, I guess," she replied, her bright eyes flickering around the table before readdressing him. "I think I dreamt a lot, though."

"Oh yeah?" he said. "D'you remember what it was about?" He could still hear her voice in his head from the night before. 

She leaned closer, a little tentative. "I think...you were in it," she whispered, her lips just grazing his ear. 

"Oooh," he said, his tone rising and falling in a teasing manner. "You'll have to tell me all about it." A wide grin pasted itself on his face, and he rolled his fingers on her thigh under the table. 

"Hey, what're you guys whispering about?" Lloyd asked with a mouthful of food. "You're not doing anything funny, are you Zelos?"

"What? _Me?_ Of course not," he replied, eyelids lowered. "Us Chosens have to stick together. We have our little secrets." He winked, causing Lloyd to huff. 

"It's nothing, Lloyd," Colette insisted. And yet, she drummed her own fingers against Zelos' hand. His icy blue eyes widened. _What?_   "We were just talking about dreams." 

"Oh," he said, properly thrown off course. "I had a dream last night that Noishe and I..." 

He carried on, but Zelos had tuned out as soon as the rest of the table's attention was off them. He glanced over at Colette, who giggled and stuck her tongue out at him. "I'll tell you later, okay?"

He lingered on her face-- the dimples on her cheeks, the cerulean blue of her eyes, the way her nose curled up to a point, the light pink of her lips--before replying. "Yeah," was all he could say, smirking back at her. 

He ran his hand down her thigh again before returning it to his own lap, where it turned into a clenched fist. _Damn it,_ he thought, staring down at his untouched plate of pancakes. _I really am in too deep._ Way _too deep._

**Author's Note:**

> I can't remember if this is one of those ships where it started out as a joke ship and then it became real, but here we are. I might've given Zelos a little too much leeway. He's a sleezy rockstar Chosen who's out for himself, but at the end of the day, he's not that bad, right? Right? Colette, on the other hand, is a perfect cinnamon roll. All right, I'm going to stop now.


End file.
